Having a go – Digital Stamps

Ok, I am a card maker way more than a scrap-booker but I am also more a 3d person in my creations than a simple card maker.  I enjoy things that have multi-uses, are stunningly beautiful and that really take your breath away when you look at them (you know those pretty little things you just want to touch but as your reading the big sign above it  you’re also saying it out loud to the children standing beside you  “No Touching!”

Many of my cards I have made in the past focus on the base or highlight paper or have been paper tole (I so love a good paper tole) and while I have “a few” stamps, I have never coloured them.  I have tried to colour stamps down at my local craft shop tutorials but I couldn’t stay in the lines, and while anyone else can go outside the lines and their finished work looks great, I just can’t.  Call it the perfectionist in me; my finished work just looks not good enough (I have politely tried to say CRAP). When I buy a stamp I also envision how it will look in one colour (the ink) or how it will look embossed witch I am thinking doesn’t help me either :$

So ... As I love to try new things and create I have sat down this weekend in an attempt to colour a stamp image.  I have done my research (good start, a girls got to love Google, but I didn’t have the right pens :( I also don’t believe or make habit of impulse spending, so into the garage I went and scrimmaged around in boxes till I found my Watercolour Derwent’s from single and ‘pre children’ days. 

Right ... now I have colour but I didn’t have any inspiring stamps to colour :( So back to the World Wide Web I went to find some free digital images.  I found quite a few in fact, and saved away to my desktop.

Happily a printing, colouring and painting I went :) Only to still not be yet satisfied with my results :(  As I am not one to turn away that easily, especially when I so want to be able do something (colour a stamp how hard can it be?)  I decided on baby steps first. 

I’ve never played with digital stamps.  I have always generally used what I have and if I don’t have it, then I have tried to make it using my own materials, ribbons, ect, right down to plain old Microsoft Word (MS and me have really created some beautiful things).

My first baby step has been if I cannot colour a Digi stamp to my liking, I am at least going to print on things and see what I come up with and hence today’s card. 

The ghost and spider web (on easel mount) are from Birdscards, well worth taking a peek at.  The site has some lovely hot air balloons that I am dying to try to colour and other pretty little images and best of all they are FREE yeppers FREE (one good tick from hubby lol).

My inspiration for this little card was a hard one.  I usually make a card or creation thinking about the person it is intended to.  But us Aussie’s don’t celebrate Halloween over here so this one was a challenge for me and as I seem to have developed a “blog challenge bug” most sites are all the buzz with Halloween at the moment.  So as one does (or as I do) when in need of thinking I get cleaning (don’t ask me :$ I think it is definitely something I have inherited off my mother as she does the same!)  Cleaning away and I must say it was a through clean as I swept the leaves and all outside and then my broom broke :(

I could not help but have a laugh to myself cause if hubby was here he would of instantly have said “well no flying for you tonight witchy dear” and then that was it, a card, an idea was forming in my little ticking brain and well ah ....

Boo Hoo! I seem to... 

Have broken my ...

BROOM

 

 

 

What I love about this creation –

* I love how well the silver embossed spider web came out (found a web on the www, printed it, cut it out and then embossed it silver. Time consuming but so worth the effort in the end.

* The groovy little spider – A styrofoam ball cut in half, coloured with black pen, added some sexy red pipe cleaners (from my extremely dusty and old paper flowers that need replacing) and some googly eyes.

* My little broom – A kebab stick cut in half (Shh don’t tell hubby I not only looked in his toolbox but I even used them!), took some snippets of my broken broom bristles and hot glue gunned them on and added a piece of ribbon around to neaten the look. 

Challenges I am entering this card in – (Yeppers I found a few and thought why not ... at least I will always have the links to check back on and have a few peaks and see if my latest could be in the running.) And I am sticking with the good old "Got to be in it to win it!" :)

* Shirley2Girl -Must have the word Boo! (Boo Hoo!) 

* Paper Play Challenges –Sketchtastic 

* Meljens Designs -Halloweeny 

* Cute Card Thursday - Make your own Embellishment ~I made my own web, spider, sign, broom! 

* Oh La La -Nothing Floral 

* Glitterbabe’s -Anything goes but it has to “SPARKLE” ~ I used black glitter paper, my emboss shines bright, and my hot sexy pipe cleaners also have a good glow.  Additionally I have ‘bling’ jewels on my easel mount spider webs. 

* The Crazy Challenge -Go Green Recycle ~ I recycled my broom and pipe cleaners.  

* Paper Sundaes - Something from your stash ~My bling jewels and my emboss (I love and treasure my emboss powder) 

* By The Cute & Girly –Spooky 

* Lexi’s Creations –Spooky 

* Simon Says Stamp –Halloween 

* Stamping Vacation -Animal Applause ~Spider as I just don’t like em! 

* Fab n' Funky Challenges -Use a digi image ~The ghost and spider web on the easel mount. 

* The Crafty Pad –Spooky 

* I Did it Creations –Spooky 

* One Stitch at a time -Spooky Halloween, anything goes 

* City Crafter –Holidays 

* There She Goes  -Orange, purple & lime 

Overall I am pleased with my card, I think there is plenty of room for improvement and that just comes with time and practice.  On that note ... I have creations to be making and stamps that need some colouring :)

Fair winds and following seas.

~♥~The Navy Wife~♥~